Proximity to facilities affects New Yorkers' body mass index

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Factors in the built environment affect residents' body mass index according to a study from New York.
Previous research has suggested a close relationship between the built environment and body mass index (BMI). Where there are easy opportunities for exercise, people tend to take them and so keep to a healthier weight. Researchers at Columbia University now reveal data from the first ever study of New Yorkers and their local built environment.

Over 13,000 adults from New York's five boroughs were investigated. Three characteristics of the built environment were found to help keep BMI down. These were: living in a mixed residential and commercial area, living near bus and subway stops and living in a population-dense area. In short, if people are within walking distance of a facility they need, like a bank or shops, they will walk there instead of getting out the car. Similar work has addressed the relationship between BMI and built environment in smaller cities - but this is the first time it's been shown that the rule applies to a large city like New York. There are important lessons here for town planners - they can make decisions that affect citizens' health. And for residents, make the most of the factors in your neighborhood that make exercise easier.

Source
American Journal of Health Promotion March/April 2007

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